4 Reasons to Be Jobless In 2023
Make it one of those things that you want to do
- Has waking up for work every morning gotten harder?
- Have you stopped seeing a future for yourself in your current job?
- You know you should quit, but you feel like you need to do something other than hunting for another job?
- Do you think you shouldn’t quit because you have nothing else to pursue?
If you’ve been in this boat for a while, read on because you need to hear it from someone who was once there, herself.
The fact that you are seriously considering quitting indicates that you are financially prepared for this decision. You know you’ll be okay if you don’t see that monthly paycheck for a while.
But you still haven’t quit.
You know this is a massive step in your career, and you are not 100 percent convinced about your decision.
This conviction comes only from having your reasons in place.
Let me help you here.
1. Quit for Yourself
I knew something was not right. I tried everything, changing companies, changing profiles, etc., yet I was never at peace.
People said I was burnt out, so I also tried to take a break. But that didn’t work either. The sinking feeling returned as soon as I got back to work.
I stayed in this state for years and didn’t quit simply because I couldn’t answer for myself, “If not another job, business, or profession, then what am I quitting for?”
Until I finally found my answer — “I was quitting for myself.”
Understand this — If the job wasn’t aligned with you and you were still in it for long, it means that you have done yourself some mental damage and probably some physical damage too.
You need to heal. And if that means doing nothing for a while, then so be it.
You’ve already waited too long.
The thought of living without an income for an uncertain period does not scare you anymore because you are ready to give yourself this chance now — Grab it by the balls.
2. Quit to hit pause
We fear leaving our job unless it’s for another job/ career opportunity because we fear being perceived as a quitter.
We need to change the narrative that we feed our brains with. You are not quitting; you are just taking a well-thought after pause.
I worked for a decade straight without pausing, and life passed me by in the blink of an eye. Had I paused earlier, I wouldn’t have collected so much regret around missing out on life.
Pausing is like meditating — You get to focus on yourself “mindfully,” i.e., without worrying about calls or e-mails from your boss and clients.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, try hitting the brakes for a while.
I promise you won’t regret it (I could have given a money-back guarantee on this one had I taken any from you).
3. Quit to unlock the reward of Predictability
Your life is never really yours if you are in a job. Let’s face it; there is no predictability whatsoever.
You despise this aspect of being in a job setup the most. Weekdays seldom end at 5 pm/7 pm; weekends are only sometimes yours. I used to forget to carry my toothbrush on vacay trips, but my laptop went everywhere!
Nothing stressed me more than the stress of my unpredictable boss.
With the job out of the way, you’ll finally be able to plan your life how you want. You’ll notice that you’re feeling calmer.
Now that you can prioritize how you want to, not how your boss wants you to, you’ll start discovering what truly matters.
You’ll go with the flow — This mindset shift alone can guide you to your life ahead.
4. Quit to experience the positive side of fear
Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear ― George Addair
Let’s admit it; you were in a job you knew you didn’t enjoy only because you wanted to play it safe.
There is nothing wrong with playing safe. But you should muster the courage to stir a few things if you want better in life.
I agree not having a plan in mind (yet) is scary but don’t fear the unknown.
You’d say not fearing something is wrong — only if you fear fire, you’ll make sure you don’t stick your finger in a burning flame.
Above is the kind of fear that protects us. I am talking about the one that lives in our heads, limits us, and stops us from turning our dreams into reality.
I am not trying to give you false hopes here, and I would be lying if I said that this journey would not be terrifying.
But only when you put yourself out there will you face the fear of not knowing what lies ahead head-on.
And only when you encounter it will you strive to overcome it.
Your survival mode will kick in, and your self-discovery will lead the way!
Summing it up
Our jobs and the titles that come with them have become our identities.
We need to normalize quitting our jobs without immediately joining another, i.e., being “jobless.”
I broke the curse, and so can you. It wasn’t easy, but it has been worth it.
A career break will not end your career. Your degree is going nowhere; your experience doesn’t come with an expiry date.
If you have all the reasons to believe this is the right thing to do now, go for it!
In this battle of working for someone vs. working for ourselves, we often forget to work on ourselves, don’t we?
